Spray apparatus for railroad rights of way



Oct. 27, 1953 J. P. QUARLES SPRAY APPARATUS FOR RAILROAD RIGHTS OF WAY Filed 001;. 27, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet i Max;

177 7 ORA/5 Y5 Oct. 27, 1953 J. P. QUARLES SPRAY APPARATUS FOR RAILROAD RIGHTS OF WAY Filed Oct. 27, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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Patented Oct. 27, 1953 SPRAY APPARATUS FOR RAILROAD RIGHTS OF WAY John P. Quarles, Huntington, W. Va. Application October 27, 1951, Serial No. 253,501

11 Claims.

This invention relates to spray apparatus and particularly to apparatus for spraying railroad rights of ways and road beds for the control of vegetation. It embodies some of the features described but not claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 137,720, filed January 10, 1950, together with important improvements thereon.

In the control of vegetation along railroad rights of ways and railroad road beds, so called weed killing chemicals have gone into Wide use. As is well known, such chemicals may be obtained in concentrated form and mixed with water or some other liquid medium to form the spray solution or mixture. The weed killing chemical forms a very small percentage, often 1 or less, of the solution or mixture. It has heretofore been the practice to make the mixture at some central location and ship it to the area of use. Inasmuch as by far the greater proportion of such mixtures consists of water, the practice heretofore employed entailed long hauls of a large amount of water. It is one of the purposes of my present invention to provide apparatus for making the mixture in the proper proportions as it is being sprayed thereby making it possible to obtain the necessary water at a point near that where the mixture is being used.

A further object of my invention is to provide spray apparatus in which already mixed chemicals may be continuously remixed and recirculated while spraying is going on and thus prevent settling out of the ingredients of the mixture.

A still further object of my invention is to provide spray apparatus embodying a pressure creating pump for supplying the spray guns, together with suitable conduits and valves whereby a part of the liquid under pressure created by the pump is returned to the supply, thereby effecting a recirculation and remixing of the chemicals.

The foregoing and other objects are obtained by means of my invention, features of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a train equipped with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the piping diagram and arrangement of apparatus on the car carrying the pumps, concentrated chemicals and spray guns;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the means for supplying concentrated chemicals to the spray solution as it is being sprayed;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a meter actuated pilot valve for controlling the proportional pump employed with my invention;

Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the proportional Fig. 7 is a view showing a remote control device for controlling the motors for driving the pumps;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of one form of remotely controlled valve employed with my invention; and,

Fig. 9 is a partially sectional end view of a tank car employed with my invention.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, I show in Fig. l a supply and spray train which includes a plurality of tank cars In, here shown as four in number, and a spray car H. Each of the tank cars I 0 is provided with relatively large diameter dual conduits or pipes I2 and I3, located on opposite sides and extending the length of the car, which communicate through a pipe 14 with an outlet It in the bottom of the tank. Valves l1 and I 8 provide means whereby liquid may be withdrawn through either of the conduits 12 or l3 from the tank It. See Fig. 9. Connected to the pipes I2 and I3, respectively, are vertically extending pipes l9 and 21 which connect at their upper ends to an inlet connection 22 which empties into the upper neck portion 23 of the tank. Valves 24 and 26, in the pipes l9 and 2|, provide means whereby communication through said pipes may be established or closed off. The conduits l2 and I3 are provided respectively, with valves 2! and 28 and 29 and 30 located on opposite sides of the cross pipe [4. By the system of valves and conduits just described, it will be seen that communication may be had with any one of the tank cars l0 through either side of the car and through the top or the bottom thereof.

The conduits l2 and [3, preferably are relatively large diameter pipes, being in actual practice, four inches in diameter, and are connected to adjacent tank cars and to the spray car H by means of flexible couplings 3| and 32 which may be coupled and uncoupled in a manner well understood. The conduits I2 and 13 extend also along the sides of the spray car II.

Mounted on the spray car II are two centrifugal pumps 33 and 34 driven, respectively, by internal combustion engines 36 and 31. The inlet sides of the pumps 33 and 34 are connected by means of a common conduit 38 and the outlet sides are connected to a common conduit 39 ('see Fig. 2) having check valves 39a and 39b therein.

Liquid for supplying the inlet sides of the pumps may be drawn selectively from either of the large pipes I2 or [3 through cross pipes 41 or 42, connected, respectively, to the pipes 12 and I3. Valves 43 and 44 in the conduit [2 and valves 46 and 4? in the conduit 13 provide means whereby liquid may be drawn selectively from either conduit. It will be understood that the car H may be turned around and have its connected thereto two discharge pipes 51 and spray guns 62, 63, 64 and 66 such as in myco-pending application Serial No. 137,720,

in detail in Fig. 8. known construction and form no part of my pres- 'ent i-nvention. Each of them is closed by means 3 duits l2 and I3 at either end coupled to a tank car. Liquid withdrawn from either of the conduits l2 or l3,,as the case may be, passes into a U-shaped, pipe 48 which has itstwo legs 49 and 5| connected to the supply conduit 38, for

the pumps 33 and 3d. On its way to the pump, the liquid passes through suitable strainers 52 or 53, each of which is supplied with cut-out valves 52a, 52b and 53a and 53b. The CI'QSSSHDr'.

ply conduit 38 is provided with valves54 and. 56 whereby the liquid entering the'pipe 38 may be directed selectively to either oi the pumps 33 The cross pipe 39 to which the outlets of the pumps 33 and 34 are connected, in turn have con- 5a, controlledrespectively by valves 59 and 61. The pipe 51 leads, through suitable connections, to are described filed January 10, 1950. The pipe 58 leads, to cross pipes 61 and 68-110 which suitable sprays, not

shown, may be connected, such as for spraying the road bed and sidings. When the sprays supplied by the cross pipes 6 7 and 68 are to. be used,

thecar H is turned around so that that end of the car is at therearof the train. Suitable valves, asshown, are-provided-in the cross pipes 61 and 88- for controlling the supply of liquid therethrough.

Thecapacities of the pumps 33 and 3% are such as to supply more fiuidthan is required by the sprays being used. As is well known, also, many of the materials used for spraying railroad rights "of way is in the formof an emulsion or suspension which necessarily has to be maintained in agitation in order for the ingredients not to separate. In order to accomplish this, I provide a short connecting pipe cc. between the common outlet pipe 3e-from the pump and a cross pipe H- which is connected at its end to the pipes i2 and I3 of the spray car. A valve 12 is provided in the connecting pipe 69. The cross pipe H has provided near its ends two remotely controlled valves 13 and 74, one of which is shown These valves are of well of a spring [6 and; is opened by air pressure ad- 'mitted into-a diaphragm housing 'ii through a pipe '18. When it is desired to recirculate a part ofthe-l-iquid, one of the valves 13, or M, as the casemay be, isclosed and the other opened, and the valve [2 is opened. Fluid from the common outlet pipe 39 then passes through the pipe connection 69, the pipe II, the valve 73 or- M, as the case may be, thence through its associated pipe 12 or l3, to the car from which the mixture is being withdrawn. The valve, H or I8,

as required, is closed and the other opened. The

liquid then passes upwardly through the pipe 19 'or- 2!, as the case may be, into the inlet 22 in the top of the tank. Thus while the liquid is being withdrawn from the outlet 6 in the bottom 4 the drawing, I show a well known form of hy-* draulic transmitter 19 which is connected by means of a pipe 89 to a hydraulic receiver 8|. When the handle 82 of the transmitter 19 is moved from the-position shown in the drawing, a

corresponding arm 83 on the receiver 81 is similarly moved. The arm 83 is connected by means Qf-alink 34. to the throttle lever 85 of the engine. It'will be understood that the transmitters l9,

of an adjusting screw 115a. 18 adapted to engage and fit in the adjacent end twoinnumber to serve the two engines, will be located at a point convenient to the reach of the hereon operatingthe spray uns. 7

As is well understood, it is desirable to add concentrated vegetation controlling chemicals, at

times, to the sprays as it is being delivered. Accordingly, I provide, on the spray car H, two tanks 86 and-81 for containing such concentrated chemicals. The manner in which these are added to the mixture will now be described. Located in the discharge line 5? is a how meter 'fusion only oneof the flow meters is shown and described in detail. The flow meters 88 and 89 each may selectively control proportional pumps 9!, or 95, as required, to supply concentrated chemicals to the discharge lines- 51 or 53, in a manner presently to be described. Each pump may withdraw liquid from one or the other of the tanks 33 and B l-and discharge it into the selected fiuid discharge line leading from the pumps 33 and 34'.

Each of the meters 88 and 89 embodies a rotating element 92- which, as is well understood, rotates responsive to the flow of fluid through the pipe in whichthe meter is located. The rotating element 92' has mounted thereon a pinion 93' which meshes with a gear 95, mounted on ,a shaft 96, carrying a crank 97, which actuates a connecting link 98'. The link is coupled to a pilot valve 99 which is operable in a valve chamber Hill to which air under pressure is supplied, froma suitable source, through a pipe I85. Reciprocation of the pilot valve 99 admits air under "pressure, and exhausts it alternately, through '86 or 81* is admitted to the outer end of the chamber l09-in which the plunger IE8 is located through a conduit Hi) and a suction valve III. This liquid is discharged through a discharge valve l IZ'and a discharge conduit I 13. The conduit I H]- for admitting liquid to the outer end of thechamber I09 is ccnnectedto conduits H4 and H6 leading respectiveiy from the tanks 6! and 8,6; These conduits are provided with suitable valves, as shown, whereby either of the tanks may be connected to the pump. The stroke of the piston I06 may be varied by means of a dash pot l 15 mounted in they outer end of the cylinder [04, the position of which may be varied by means The dash pot H5 acumen or the piston I 08 as it moves to the right, as viewed in Fig. 6, and thus cushions its movement in that direction. By this arrangement, it will be seen that the volume of concentrated liquid pumped at each stroke may be varied.

The discharge conduit I I3 has connected thereto branch conduits ii! and H8 which lead, respectively, to the discharge pipes 51 and 58leading to the spray guns. Valves H9 and IZI provide means whereby the concentrated liquid may be routed to either of the discharge pipes. Inasmuch as the piston I06, by the means shown, reciprocates responsive to the flow of liquid through the meter 89, it will be seen that concentrated chemicals in the desired proportions may be added to the liquid as it is being sprayed.

Preferably, the air under pressure supplied to the pilot valve 99, as heretofore described, is obtained from the air pressure line (not shown) on the railroad train. A conduit I22 leads from the air pressure line, and has located therein a pressure reducing valve I23 which reduces the pressure to the desired amount for operating the proportional pump 9i. The conduit Ifll heretofore described conveys this reduced pressure to the pilot valve. A branch conduit I24 connects with the pipe 18 and the latter is provided with two valves I25 and I26 which as is understood will be located within easy reach of the operator of the spray guns to control the valves I3 and 14.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 it will be seen that the pump 9| may be made to discharge concentrated chemicals into either the discharge line 51 or the discharge line 58 by manipulation of the proper valves. It will also be seen that the proportional pumps 9| or 95, as the case may be must operate responsive to the action of the meter 88 or 89, as the case may be, through which the spray fluid is being discharged. In order to provide for such selective control I connect the air supply pipe |0I through a branch pipe I (Ha to the pilot valve chamber Iflfla of the meter 88 and connect branch pipes I 02a and Him from the pivot valve chamber to the pipes I02 and I03 leading to the proportional pump. Suitable valves, as shown, provide means whereby the air for operating the pump 9i may be routed through either meter.

It will be understood also that the proportional pumps 9! and 95 may be operated singly or jointly responsive to the how of fluid through either of the meters 88 or 89, depending upon which sets of sprays are being used. Such arrangement is a duplication of that shown in Fig. 3 and accordingly is not shown or described in detail.

From the foregoing description, the operation of my improved apparatus will b readily understood. The tank cars Ill will be filled With water or with a suitable solution or emulsion for the control of vegetation, as desired, and the said tank cars may be selectively coupled through the conduits I2 and I3 and the valves shown, to the apparatus located on the spray car I I. There, the conduits l2 or I3 may be selectively connected to the inlets of the pumps 33 and 34, either of which, or both, may be operated to supply the spray guns. Assuming that the spray guns 62, B3, 64 and 65 are being operated, theliquid under pressure is discharged through the pipe 51, the valve 59 being open. The pumps 33 and 34 have a capacity greater than that required for supply,- ing the spray guns and it may be desired to so operate them as to supply mor than is required by the spray guns. In such event, one of the valves 73 or 14 is closed and the other opened which the spray guns are 6: allowing the excess of back through the pipe I2 or l3, as the casemay be. This liquid is then discharged finally through the upstanding pipe III or 2|, as the case may be,"

and through the opening at the inlet connection 22 in the top of the tank car. By this means, as liquid is being withdrawn from the bottom of the tank car, a part is being returned through the inlet section 22 into the top thereby maintaining liquid in the tank car in suspension or emulsion and properly mixed. The motion of the trainon which the operation is being carried out aids in maintaining the liquids properly mixed.

Assuming that it is desired to add concentrated chemicals to the liquid being sprayed, air under pressure is admitted through the pipe IOI to the pilot valve 99 and the proportional pump 9| has plunger chamber I09 connected to one of the tanks 35 or 81, as the case may be, through the pipe I ID. The required amount of liquid to be pumped being regulated by the position of the dash pot H5, the concentrated chemical is added to the solution being sprayed being admitted through the pipe connection In, ahead of the meter 88.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an extremely flexible apparatus for supplying vegetation controlling chemicals to spray apparatus on a railroad train in the proper proportions, and with the concentrated chemicals being added to the solution as it is being sprayed. It will also be seen that with my improved apparatus, emulsions and suspensions of chemicals carried in the spray apparatus may be maintained thoroughly. mixed at all times.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In railway spray apparatus, a plurality of tank cars, a car on which spray guns are mountual conduit means connecting all the cars. one of said conduit means being connected to one part of each of said tank cars and the other to another part thereof, pump means on the car the spray guns are mounted for withdrawing liquid selectively from said tankcars' through a selected one of said conduit means and delivering it under pressure to the said pump means having a capacity greater than that required for said spray guns, means disposed between the pump means and the spray guns to inject concentrated chemicals into the liquid, and means to deliver the excess liquid delivered by said pump means into the other of said conduit means to recirculate it in said selected tank cars.

2. In railway spray apparatus, a plurality of tank cars, a car on which spray guns are mounted, dual conduit means connecting all the cars,

one of said conduit means being connected to one part of each of said tank cars and the other to another part thereof, pump means on the car on mounted for withdrawe ing liquid selectively from said tank cars through one of said conduit means and delivering it un der pressure to the spray guns, said pump means having a capacity greater than, that required for said spray guns, means to deliver the excess liquid to be discharged spray guns,

7. liquiddelivered by said pump meansinto the other of said conduit means to recirculate itin saidselected tank cars, and means disposed between the pump means and the spray guns to injecti chemicals into the liquid delivered to the spray guns in proportion. to the said liquiddischarged by said spray guns. v

3. In railway spray apparatus, a car upon which spray guns are mounted and having a container for concentrated chemicals mounted thereon, conduit means leading to the sprayguns,

at least one tank car operatively coupledto the first mentioned car and containing unconcentrated liquid to be sprayed, conduit means connecting the tank car to the car upon which the spray guns are mounted, pump means mounted onthe last mentioned car and disposed to withtainer'. for concentrated chemicals. mounted O thereon, conduit means leading to the spray guns, at leastone tank car'operatively coupled to the first mentioned car and containing unconcentrated liquidto be sprayed, conduit means connoting the tank onthellastlilentioified car and disposed to withdraw' unconcentrated liquid through said last mentioned conduit means and deliver it to the conduitmeans leading-to the spray guns, a meter in the conduit means leading to the spray guns, a proportional pumpdisposed between the pump-- means and the spray guns and operative responsive to the operation of the metersto'inject' con centrated chemicals into said liquid, and means tovary the: ratio ofconcentrated chemicals to unconc'entr-ated li ':1iiiddelivered to the spray guns.

5.. Apparatus asdefined inclaim 2 in which thetmeans disposed between the pump means-and the spray guns to inject chemicals into the liquid comprises. a. reservoir for chemicals, a propertional pump,.power means for driving the proportional pumpanda flow meter to controlthe said power means.

6. In aspray apparatus adapted to be mounted on railway cars; a; spray car, a plurality or tank cars operatively coupled to the spray car, at least one of'said'tank cars containing unconcentrated liquidpa supply of: concentrated chemical on the spray car, dual conduit. means connecting all cars-pump and pipe meansmounted on the spray car and disposed to withdraw liquid selectively fromany of the tankcars, and means for recirculating, injecting concentrated chemicals and adding chemicals thereto, and delivering. said.

liquid to the spray guns.-

7..Apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which the means to inject. concentrated chemicals into the liquid are constructed and arranged to inject said" chemicals intosaid liquid in proportion to the liquid flowing to the spray guns.

8; In railway spray apparatus, a plurality, of. tank'cars, a-car' on which spray guns are mounte'd, all or said cars being" operatively connected, conduit means connecting all the cars, construct car to the car upon which the spray guns. are. mounted, pump means mounted ed and arranged to connect the tank cars selecmay to the car on which the spray guns are mounted, pump means on the car on which the spray guns are mounted constructed and arranged to" withdraw liquid selectively from said tanli cars through said conduit means anddeliver it through another conduit tosaid. spray guns, a supply of chemicals; and a proportional pump disposed between the pump means and the spray guns and adapted to-deliver chemicals into the liquid leading to the spray guns in proportion to the. flow of liquid thereto.

9: In railway spray apparatus, a plurality of tank cars, a car on which spray guns are mounted, all of: said cars being operatively connected, conduit means connecting all the cars construc ed and arranged to connect the tank cars selectively to the car on which the spray guns are mounted, pump means on the car on which the spray guns are mounted constructed and arranged to withdraw liquid selectively from said tank cars through said conduit means and deliver it through another conduit to said spray guns, a supply of chemicals, a proportional pump disposed between the pump means andthe spray guns and adapted to deliver chemicals into the liquid leading to the spray guns in proportion to the flow of liquid thereto, and means included in the proportional pump to vary the ratio of. chemicals to liquid.

10. In railway spray apparatus, a plurality of tank cars, a car on which spray guns are mount ed, all of said cars being operatively connected,

conduit means connecting all the cars constructed and arranged to connect the tank cars selectively to the car on which thespray guns are mounted, pump means on the car on which the spray guns are mounted constructed and arranged to withdraw liquid selectively from said.

tank cars through said conduit means and deliver it through another conduit to said spray guns, a supply of chemicals, a proportional pump disposed between the pump means and the spray guns and adapted to deliver chemicals into the liquid leading to-the spray guns in proportion to the flow of liquid thereto, means included in the proportional pump to vary the ratio. of chemicals to liquid, fluid power means for operating the proportional pump, and a flow meter in the conduit leading to the spray guns including means. to control the supply of operating fluid to the proportional pump. 11 In railway spray apparatus, a train of cars including a spray car withspray nozzles mounted.

thereon and a plurality of tank cars operatively.

connected to the spray car, at least one of said tank cars containing unconcentrated liquid, dual-1' conduit means connecting all cars, pump and.

pipe means mounted on the spray car and dis.-

pOsed to withdraw liquid selectively from any of;

theta-nk cars and deliver'it to the spray nozzles;

and means for injecting concentrated chemicals. intothe pipe means on the spray car for delivery to. the nozzles.-

JOHN P. QUARLES.

References. Cited in the flle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,205,070 Wilsonet al Nov. 14,- 1916 2,590,007 Griswold l Mar. 18, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 348294" Great Britain May 14, 1931 

